Evaluation of Health Hazards of Cadmium and Arsenic in Lettuce and Cabbage Cultivated in Khuzestan Province

Cadmium and arsenic have toxicity and can accumulate in food and causepoisoning and disease in the human body. In this research, the amount of contamination ofheavy metals, particularly arsenic and cadmium in lettuce and common cabbage and soil inthree cities of Hamidieh, Dezful and Ramhormoz in Khuzestan province were investigated.

In order to implement the research, 15 samples of lettuce andcabbage cultivars were cultured and 15 soil samples were collected from cities of Hamidieh,Dezful and Ramhormoz in Khuzestan province. The ecological risk of cadmium and arsenicwas studied using pollution indices.

The lowest amounts of contaminations in both cabbage and lettuce vegetablesconcerned with arsenic were found in Dezful at the concentrations of 1.39 and 0.85 ppmwhile the highest concentrations were observed in Ramhormoz at the levels of 2.44 and 1.49ppm respectively. Ramhormoz soil indicated the highest concentrations at arsenic (2.24 ppm)while Dezful soil showed the highest amount of cadmium (0.25 ppm). The results showed thatheavy metals of arsenic and cadmium in the studied cities had low ecological risk (Er<40) andlow risk (IR) risk index (RI<150). The highest risk index is in Hamidieh (32.4) and the lowestrisk index is Ramhormoz (11.66).

The results of Health Hazard Index (HI) in lettuce and cabbage were less than 1,indicating that the concentration of these elements in the soil would be hazardous and wouldhave adverse health effects for the consumer.